“Khwahish – The Wish”: A Unique Blend of Art and Literature at the First National Multilingual Literary Conference
Bhubanweswar: The first-ever multilingual literary conference organized by “Khwahish – The Wish” was held with grandeur at the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Research Center. The event created a harmonious atmosphere of literature, art, instrumental music, dance, and literary discussions.
Distinguished guests at the conference included Shri Dilip Mahapatra, Shri Sudarshan Kechari, Shri Ashutosh Kar, Shri Pradeep Bishwal, Smt. Sangeeta Gosain, and renowned Odissi dancer Rinku Sahu, among others.
More than 40 poets and writers from across India participated, including Bharati Hazarika, Sujata Panda, P. Subarna, Birendra Gogna, Sudipta Mishra, Bishwanath Kinkar Raut, Amulya Kumar Senapati, Manohar Yanam, Bibhudatta Mahanti, Runa Srivastava, Pradeepta Panda, Vijayalakshmi Raut, Renette D’Souza, Dr. Prafulla Kumar Panda, Savita Sahu, Anand Krishna, Smruti Ranjan Mahanti, Rajkrushna Mishra, Joba Murmu, Hemant Kumar Mishra, Poorna Padmaja, Agnivesh Mahapatra, Nitusmita Saikia, Ambika Anant, Laxman Rao, Kumar Prasanna, Manjula Asthana Mahanti, Mamuni Rath, Bibhudatta Sahu, Mami Mishra, Sagarika Tripathy, Shri Hari Srinivas, Paramananda Mahant, Malli Masihan Kashyap, Bandana Panda, Nihar Acharya, Ramakant Mahapatra, Sujata Sinha, Diptirekha Das, and Lopamudra Mishra.
The event began with a traditional lamp lighting ceremony, followed by inspiring speeches from the guests. On this occasion, the first multilingual anthology of “Khwahish – The Wish” was launched by the dignitaries. The anthology, edited by Lopamudra Mishra, Diptirekha Das, and Shruti Mishra, features poems, short stories, and essays by over 100 writers from eight different countries.
Krishna Pandravad from the USA, an art director, game designer, and filmmaker, showcased his exquisite paintings, which were highly appreciated by the audience. Two students from Thailand, Thanapat and Ice, expressed their deep interest and perspective on Hindi literature.
The conference also featured various literary and cultural programs, including book launches, Odissi dance performances, and musical recitals on the keyboard and guitar. A unique book parade was presented by the Odisha Resco Collective.
One of the major highlights was the poetry reading session by 42 poets and writers. The evening segment, “Sandhya Shayari,” was another key attraction. A panel discussion on “Folk Literature and Its Importance in Today’s World” was also conducted.
The event was successfully organized with the support of team members Shloka, Chetana, Preeti, Devanshi, and Aditej. The main partner of the event was Authors Press, Delhi, while other partners included Odisha Rendo Collective and the media partner Lighthouse Odisha. The key sponsors were Credit Alliance Services Pvt. Ltd., Shri Durga Condev Pvt. Ltd., and Garware Technical Fibres.
This conference was not just a literary festival but a vibrant platform combining art, literature, and social messages. The first literary meet of “Khwahish – The Wish” opened a new horizon for Bhubaneswar’s literary landscape.